Mail-transportation system.



PATENT'ED MAR. 12, 1907.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1906.

"a sums-sum 1-.

Wifnmmo 1m! man: {57:15 :0. wammcmx, 1.. M

v %%@MMZ I No- 847,076. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

L. G. JARRETT.

MAI L TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

.AP'PLIOATION FILED snr'r.1s.1ooe.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAR. l2, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L. G. JARRETT.

MAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1906.

m 'lwuantoz UNITED STATES ATFNT @FFTQF.

MAIL-TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Application filed September 13, 1906. Serial No. 334,479.

To coll whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LANDON O. JARRETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marshall, in the county of Madison, State of North Carolina,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-TransportationSystems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to improvements in systems of mailtransportation.

The particular improvements include the construction of the travelingcarrier and the means for automatically propelling the same and themanner of securing the traffic-wire upon which the carrier travels, tothe supporting-poles.

With the above and other ends in view the invention comprises theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafterfully described, specifically claimed, and illustrated intheaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of thecarrier in place on the traffic-wire, showing also one of the poles uponwhich the wire is carried. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the carrier.Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the carrier, takenapproximately upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation ofthe carrier in place on the traffic-wire. Fig. 5 is a detail view of aportion of the pole cross-bar and the bracket secured thereto forcarrying the traffic-wire.

Like parts are designated by corresponding reference-numerals in theseveral views.

The system hereinafter described is of the type known as belt-line, asingle traflic-wire forming a complete or closed trackbeing used.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l0 designates generally oneof the poles upon which the traffic-wire is carried, said pole having across-bar 11 secured thereto adjacent its top. Secured to the outer endsof said cross-bar are depending brackets 12, the ends of which arefastened thereto in any desired manner. Each bracket is bent outwardlyintermediate its ends beyond the plane of the cross-bar ends, forming avertical section 13, to which is secured the supporting-clamp 14,comprising a pair of vertically-disposed metal plates 14, the upperedges of which are bent outwardly to form the jaws 15. Theattaching-bolts 16 are passed through plates 14 and through the verticalsection 13 of the bracket. Said plates are formed of metal suflicientlyresilient to enable the jaws 15 to clam the traffic-wire 17 and hold thesame firm y in place.

The carrier, adapted to travel upon the traflic-wire and generallydesignated 20, comprises a suitable receptacle of rectangular or cigarshape, as desired, and provided at its ends with a plurality of seriesof letterboxes 21, arranged in tiers, as shown, forming themail-carrying compartments of the carrier, occupying each approximatelyonefourth of the carrier.

Mounted in any desired fashion upon the bottom of the carrier within thespace between the mail-compartments is an engine 22, having a drivingconnection with the main drive-shaft 23 of the carrier. The plunger-rod24 of the engine passes through a slotted guide-post 25 in its movement,the outer end of the plunger-rod being connected with one end of apitman 26, the opposite end of which is secured to a crank-pin 27,mounted upon the main sprocket-wheel 28.

Located adjacent the inner end of each mail-compartment is an upright29, the upper end of which is bent outwardly and downwardly, asindicated at 30. Secured at diametrically opposite points to the hookthus formed on each upright is a pair of brackets 31, the free ends ofwhich bear against the outer face of a horizontally-disposed open frame32 of elliptical shape, and thus hold said frame in place upon theuprights. Mounted within said frame is a pair of transverse shafts 33,which are passed through registering openings formed in said frame andin the corresponding uprights and ex tend beyond said frame at one sidethereof, as shown, this construction serving likewise tomore-effectually support said frame.

Each shaft 33 carries a sprocket-wheel 34, mounted thereon exteriorly ofthe frame and driven from the main sprocket-wheel 28 by means of asprocket-chain 35, the crank-pin in said last-mentioned sprocket-wheelbeing of sufiicient length to prevent any interference of theplunger-rod or pitman with the movement of the chain during the movementof the carrier. Shafts 33 are further provided with a groovedtrolley-wheel 36, mounted intermediate their ends within the frame32,said wheels being adapted to run upon a traffic-wire 17 and servingas the means of support for the carrier thereon.

{1 The several poles may, if desired, be provided with a secondcross-bar 37, secured to the top thereof above the crossbar 11 and ofless extent than said cross-bar to serve as supports for telephone ortelegraph wires 38, connected with the several stations to which themail is to be delivered. It will thus be possible for the postmaster atthe main office to notify or warn the clerks at such stations that thecarrier is on its way.

The top of the carrier is covered by a casing 39 of any descriptionprovided with slots or openings, through which the uprights 29 andsprocket-chain 35 pass.

The engine for propelling the carrier may be of,any desired type, or anelectric motor may be used for the same purpose, in which latterinstance the armature-shaft of the motor will be connected, by means ofa crank, with the pitman 26, the crank passing through the guide-post 25when the armature-shaft is in motion.

To enable the carrier to be automatically stopped on reaching theseveral stations, a brake 40 is pivotally mounted upon the frame 32 bymeans of rearwardly-inclined straps 41, arranged in pairs on oppositesides of said frame and pivoted thereto at their lower ends. The brakeis actuatedby means of a retractile spring 42, connected at one end tothe top of the rear upright 29 and at the other end to a shoulder 43,secured to the upper face of the brake, the tension of the springnormally pressing the brake rearwardly against the groovedtrolley-wheels 86.

Pivoted to the under face of the carrier is an angle-lever 44, the upperarm of which is connected at its free end with the lower end of a rod45, which latter passes through openings 46, formed in the carrier, andextends above the upper face thereof, its movement being guided by saidopenings.

VVh'en the brake is set, its rear end is in contact with the upperportion of rod 45, the tension of the spring 42 holding said parts insuch position and forcing the rear face of said rod into contact withthe inner face of frame 32 at the rear end of the latter.

The pole adjacent each station is provided with a trip 47, adapted tocontact with the lower arm of lever 44 and swing the same upwardly, thuslowering the opposite arm of said lever and with it rod 45, the upperend of which is withdrawn from contact with the brake, which is free tomove rearwardly and downwardly into contact with the trolleywheels bythe action of spring 42, the pressure exerted by said brake against thewheels being suflicient to cause the carrier to stop.

To reset the brake, it is drawn forwardly by its handle 48 a sufficientdistance to per mit rod 45 to be moved upwardly, when the brake end willagain be held in contact with the upper end of said rod by its spring.

It will thus be understood that'the carrier will be automatically stoparm reaching the successive stations at w ch mail is to be delivered,and upon resetting of the brake will automatically start, continuing itspassage until the complete circuit has been traveled and it has oncemore reached its starting-point.

What is claimed is" 1. In a mail-transportation system, the combinationwith a traffic-wire and means for supporting the same; of a carrieradapted to travel thereon consisting of a receptacle provided at eachend with a mail-compartment comprising a series of letter-boxes,arranged in tiers; and means located within the interior of saidreceptacle between said compartments for automatically propelling thecarrier, said 'means including a pair of uprights, a frame carried bysaid uprights, a

pair of transversely-extending shafts ]OUl'- naled in said'frame, atrolley-wheel and a sprocket-wheel mounted on each shaft; asprocket-chain connecting said sprockets, an

engine and a driving connection between said I sprocket-chain and saidengine.

2. In a mail-transportation system, the combination with a traffic-wire,and means for supporting the same; of acarrier adapted to travel uponsaid wire, and consisting of a receptacle provided with amail-compartment at each end; an engine located in the interior of saidreceptacle in the space between said compartments; an upright mountedadjacent each com artment and extending above the upper e ges of thereceptacle; an open frame secured to the tops of said uprights; atransverse shaft journaled in said frame adjacent each end thereof; atrolley-wheel mounted on each shaft within the frame, and asprocket-wheel mounted on each shaft eXteriorly of the frame; atransverse shaft mounted in said receptacle intermediate saidcompartments; a sprocket: wheel mounted in said last-mentioned shaft; asprocket-chain connecting the several sprocket-wheels; and a drivingconnection between the engine and the lastmentioned sprocket-wheel forautomatically propelling the carrier.

' 3. In a mail-transportation system, the combination with asupporting-pole, including a cross-rod secured to the upper portionthereof; of a depending bracket secured to each end of said cross-rod; aclamp secured to each bracket, and comprising a pair ofvertically-disposed spaced members formed with diverging jaws at theirupper portions; a traffic-wire seated within said jaws and held in placethereby; a carrier ada ted to travel upon said wire; and means ocatedwithin said carrier for automatically effecting its propulsion.

4. In a mail-transportation system, the combination with a traflic-wireand means for supporting the same; of a carrier adapted to travel uponsaid Wire; means located ley-Wheels; and means for automatically 0p-Within the carrier for automatically effecting erating said brake. 1 0its propulsion; a pair of uprights secured to In testimony whereof IafIiX my signature said carrier; an open frame carried by said inpresence of tWo Witnesses.

uprights; a pair of transversely-disposed LANDON C. JARRETT. shaftsmounted in said frame; a trolley- Witnesses: wheel mounted on eachshaft; abrake adapt- Z. V. FIsHER,

ed to be moved into contact With said trol- J. H. SPRINKLE.

